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French Freedom of Speech

The mayor of Calais is suing Marine Le Pen of the Front National for saying "repeatedly" that citizens in Calais need a pass issued by the mayor to get to their own homes (because of the number of migrants in the town). In fact, the passes are issued by the police prefecture.

Who's en colère today?

The SNCF (toujours eux), regional train employees in the Lyons area guaranteeing unpleasant travel from the 17th-21st December
Also yet another strike by Sud-Rail, a particularly truculent SNCF union in the south of France, this time five days in January: 6,7, 21, 22 and 23. "We have no choice." Right.

The terrible spectacle of the French team falling apart in front of the whole world continues. Yesterday, the bus of the French team arrived at their training ground in South Africa. Hundreds of fans and a handful of reporters were there to watch them train, and they got off the bus to cheers. They waved to fans and came over to shake hands.

But a few seconds later, everything deteriorated. You can see it in real-time here (look for the video "Quand les Bleus se mettent en grève" [When the Bleus go on strike]). As the fans and journalists watch, the Bleus' captain, Patrice Evra, speaks to their trainer, Duverne, and then walks away from Duverne, who protests vehemently and then says, "Putain!" in disbelief. The Bleus go back to the bus and get on it. The French Football Federation's delegate walks rapidly away from the group of Bleus over to his car, pursued by journalists asking, "Monsieur Valentin, what's happening?"

"I'm going back to Paris!" he yells. "I have nothing more to do here. Ask them, they'll tell you!" Then "I consider what is happening this afternoon is a scandal. A scandal for the French. A scandal for the young people who are here. A scandal for the Federation and for the French team." As he gets in his car, at the edge of tears, he says, "Everyone may assume his own responsibility. I've assumed mine, for what concerns me. They don't want to train. It's unacceptable.... Ask them. I am not their spokesman. I am quitting the Federation. I am quitting my posts. I am utterly disheartened and disgusted."

Then the most surreal thing happens. The French trainer Domenech himself reads the unanimous statement of the Bleus that they don't want to train because Anelka was dismissed for insulting Domenech! Whatever you think of the French trainer, this is a lamentable spectacle and shows a French team of spoiled, immature and breathtakingly self-centered young men that is now the disgrace of the World Cup.

Elaine Sciolino in ParisOf the N.Y. Times (or as it prefers to be known, The N.Y. Times) and writer of La Seduction: How the French Play the Game of Life

Le Franco PhoneyA long-term Australian expat in a French ski resort. I can't believe it took me so long to discover this one.

The Compleat AngloI have to like a blog that is named The Compleat Anglo. An Englishman married to his Madame, in the Basque country

Flipflop France23-year-old Sasha, an Oregonian from Forks (town made famous by the Twilight vampire saga), has settled down in France's second city, Lyons. [No that isn't a mistake. I spell it the old-fashioned English way.]